Frequently Asked Questions

Using HomeGuide's national driveway figures, a standard or basic finish runs $6 to $15 a square foot. On that guide a two-car, 20-by-20 driveway lands between $2,400 and $6,000, and breaking out an old one adds $2 to $6 a square foot. The number that counts is the written price after we measure.

Concrete is a mix of portland cement, water, sand and gravel or crushed stone. For outdoor work in Sparks we use air-entrained mixes, which contain tiny air bubbles that help the slab survive freezing and thawing. The amount of water matters a lot: too much makes the concrete weaker and more likely to scale.

Sparks began in 1904 when the Southern Pacific Railroad built a switch yard and shops here after moving its division point from Wadsworth. The town was first called Harriman, then renamed for John Sparks, Nevada's governor from 1903 to 1908, and it incorporated in 1905. Some of the oldest concrete we replace is in the streets around that original railroad town.

Sometimes. Frozen ground is off limits, and fresh concrete has to be kept above freezing until it gains early strength. Sparks averages about 140 nights a year at or below 32 degrees, so winter dates depend on the forecast, insulated blankets and a willingness to reschedule. Spring and fall are easier.

Per HomeGuide's driveway guide, people can walk on it after 24 to 48 hours and light vehicles can usually use it after 7 to 10 days, with full strength around 28 to 30 days. Cool weather slows that down, so your dates are set from the actual pour.

That depends on the job. Anything at the curb, the driveway approach or the public sidewalk usually involves the city, and some slabs and structures call for a building permit. We look up what applies to your address, and to your HOA if you have one, before scheduling.

For most outdoor slabs here, yes. A penetrating sealer slows how fast water and de-icing chemicals soak in, which means less scaling over a freeze-thaw winter. HomeGuide puts sealing at $1 to $3 a square foot and suggests a fresh coat every 2 to 3 years.

On HomeGuide's national numbers, standard and basic finishes run $6 to $15 a square foot. A 20-by-20 two-car driveway comes to roughly $2,400 to $6,000 on that guide, and tearing out the old one adds $2 to $6 a square foot. Yours gets priced after we measure.

HomeGuide treats 4 inches as the minimum for cars and 5 to 6 inches for heavy trucks or RVs, with deeper edges. Tell us about any trailer, boat or RV you keep so the thickness and steel match the load.

Usually after 7 to 10 days for cars, with full strength at about 28 to 30 days. Cool weather slows curing, so we give you dates based on your pour.

We use rebar in most driveways because it stays where we place it and holds cracked sections together better. Fiber can be added to the mix to help with surface shrinkage cracks, but it does not replace steel in a driveway.

Usually. A side pad or extension can be doweled into the existing slab so the two act together. If the original driveway is in rough shape, replacing everything at once gives a better match and a longer life.

On HomeGuide's national patio guide, plain concrete runs $4 to $12 a square foot, which puts a 20-by-20 plain patio somewhere between $1,600 and $4,800. Decorative finishes add to that. You get a written number after we measure.

Four inches is standard for a patio with foot traffic and furniture. We thicken and add reinforcement under hot tubs, outdoor kitchens and post footings.

Yes. The new section is doweled into the old slab and pitched the same way. An exact color match is unlikely because the old concrete has weathered, so we talk through a border or a contrasting finish instead.

Walking on it is normally fine after a day or two. Give it about a week before dragging heavy furniture or a grill on, and roughly a month before a filled hot tub goes on top.

Lighter colors and textured finishes like broom or exposed aggregate stay cooler and more comfortable than dark, smooth concrete in full sun.

HomeGuide's stamped patio guide lists basic work at $8 to $13 a square foot and complex, multi-color designs at $19 to $26 or more. On that guide a 20-by-20 stamped patio runs about $3,200 to $7,600. We price yours once it is measured and a pattern is picked.

It can be, once sealed and wet. On walks, steps and pool decks, we mix a fine anti-skid grit into the sealer coat for better footing.

Every 2 to 3 years is typical. Sun and freeze-thaw wear sealer down, so areas in full sun may need it on the shorter end.

Pavers are separate units that can be pulled and reset, though they tend to shift and sprout weeds in the joints. Stamped concrete is one continuous surface that needs less attention between sealer coats. HomeGuide compares them at $10 to $17 a square foot for pavers and $8 to $19 for stamped concrete.

All concrete can crack. We cut control joints along pattern lines so any cracks form in planned spots and blend into the design.

HomeGuide's national sidewalk guide puts installed concrete walks at $7 to $17 a square foot, or roughly $28 to $68 per linear foot when the walk is 4 feet wide. Taking out old concrete adds about $3 to $8 a square foot.

Yes. Damaged panels are saw-cut out at the joints, the base underneath is corrected, and new sections are poured flush with their neighbors.

It varies by city, and in many places the owner of the lot is responsible for repairs to the walk out front. We check the rules for your address before quoting any public sidewalk work.

Three feet is a practical minimum. Four to five feet feels more welcoming, lets two people walk together and works better with strollers and bins.

A broom finish or exposed aggregate gives better grip than smooth concrete. We also slope walks so water drains off instead of freezing on the surface.

HomeGuide's national slab guide lists installed slabs at $6 to $12 a square foot, which works out to about $600 to $1,200 for a 10-by-10 pad and $2,400 to $4,800 for a 20-by-20. Thicker slabs and extra base work push that up.

Four inches is typical for a shed or storage building. We go thicker under heavy loads like workshops with equipment, vehicles or RVs.

That depends on what the slab supports and where it sits. Garages, shops and some sheds or carports can need a permit, and many HOAs add their own rules. We sort that out before scheduling.

Light framing can often start after about a week. Heavy loads like vehicles, RVs or a filled hot tub should wait closer to the full 28-day cure.

For enclosed buildings like garages and workshops, a vapor barrier helps keep ground moisture out. Outdoor pads usually do not need one.

That depends on the fix. HomeGuide's national figures put crack repair at $250 to $800 or more per crack, mudjacking at $4 to $9 a square foot and foam leveling at $8 to $25 a square foot. Your repair is priced after we see it.

Often, yes, if the slab is still in large, solid pieces. Mudjacking or foam leveling lifts it back up. If it is broken into many small pieces, replacement is usually the better value.

Flaking, or scaling, usually comes from freeze-thaw damage, de-icing chemicals, or a surface that was overworked or too wet when it was poured. Sound concrete underneath can often be resurfaced and sealed.

Yes. Sealing cracks keeps water out of the base, where it freezes and widens the crack each winter. It is one of the cheapest ways to extend the life of a driveway.

HomeGuide says professionally leveled concrete typically lasts 5 to 10 years or more. A repair holds longest when its cause, usually water, gets fixed at the same time.